Sochi Olympics Hotel Nightmare
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: American AAdvantage
Posts: 1,045
Sochi Olympics Hotel Nightmare
Next time we check into a hotel room, we should consider ourselves fortunate not to have some of the issues mentioned in the article.
Wealth of Issues Face 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Athletes, Fans and Journalists
Some of you want a free breakfast or Wi-Fi amid your hotel amenities. Instead, you should just be grateful that the toilets in your room or around town actually accept toilet paper.
#2
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Marriott Titanium, National EE
Posts: 538
Well I know plenty of people in the US that would throw used toilet paper in a trash can believing that it will clog the toilet. I personally always flush it down and never had any issues, even in less developed countries. I could see why some places may have taped up the don't flush your toilet paper sign, but you have the option to ignore it.
As for the simplicity of the Olympic Village rooms, they are temporary housing used for couple of weeks, not luxury hotels. Whether London 2012 or Beijing 2008, they are all very basic.
As for the simplicity of the Olympic Village rooms, they are temporary housing used for couple of weeks, not luxury hotels. Whether London 2012 or Beijing 2008, they are all very basic.
#4
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,745
The bad rooms in Sochi are beginning to get a lot of news play. Here's an instragram picture of a Sochi toilet:
http://instagram.com/p/kCYkf_IPrA/
And two toilets:
http://instagram.com/p/kA4bDhvK3S/
Water in hotel room:
http://instagram.com/p/kCXzOuHGYX/
http://instagram.com/p/kCYkf_IPrA/
And two toilets:
http://instagram.com/p/kA4bDhvK3S/
Water in hotel room:
http://instagram.com/p/kCXzOuHGYX/
#5
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,379
Well I know plenty of people in the US that would throw used toilet paper in a trash can believing that it will clog the toilet. I personally always flush it down and never had any issues, even in less developed countries. I could see why some places may have taped up the don't flush your toilet paper sign, but you have the option to ignore it.
As for the simplicity of the Olympic Village rooms, they are temporary housing used for couple of weeks, not luxury hotels. Whether London 2012 or Beijing 2008, they are all very basic.
As for the simplicity of the Olympic Village rooms, they are temporary housing used for couple of weeks, not luxury hotels. Whether London 2012 or Beijing 2008, they are all very basic.
Obviously plumbing in the US should be fine pretty much anywhere, but in less developed countries that isn't always the case. While it is unlikely to cause any immediate problems to you personally, they have those rules for a very good reason...
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,733
That seems incredibly inconsiderate...
Obviously plumbing in the US should be fine pretty much anywhere, but in less developed countries that isn't always the case. While it is unlikely to cause any immediate problems to you personally, they have those rules for a very good reason...
Obviously plumbing in the US should be fine pretty much anywhere, but in less developed countries that isn't always the case. While it is unlikely to cause any immediate problems to you personally, they have those rules for a very good reason...
#8
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Marriott Titanium, National EE
Posts: 538
That seems incredibly inconsiderate...
Obviously plumbing in the US should be fine pretty much anywhere, but in less developed countries that isn't always the case. While it is unlikely to cause any immediate problems to you personally, they have those rules for a very good reason...
Obviously plumbing in the US should be fine pretty much anywhere, but in less developed countries that isn't always the case. While it is unlikely to cause any immediate problems to you personally, they have those rules for a very good reason...
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
Much of the plumbing and septic/sewer systems can't handle large quantities of toilet paper, in some countries.
In Indonesia, where I spend of a lot of time, these days, it was quite strange at first to use their in toilet water sprayers. I've now gotten so used to it, that I installed one in my house in the US.
Certainly more environmentally friendly.
In Indonesia, where I spend of a lot of time, these days, it was quite strange at first to use their in toilet water sprayers. I've now gotten so used to it, that I installed one in my house in the US.
Certainly more environmentally friendly.
#10
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,379
I probably should take a step back and scratch the part about less developed country. I was actually referring to China which isn't really a developing country anymore, and haven't been to any developing country so I don't know what type of plumbing they have. A lot of the people in China use waste basket for toilet paper. However, the toilet and plumbing (except for those squatting toilets which is basically a hole in the floor) are not much different than what we have in the US and can more than handle toilet papers. This may be different 10 or 15 years ago and that's why many people are just used to waste basket. I don't know. All I know is that based on my observation, waste basket isn't just found in Sochi but used around the world including the US despite the toilets being able to handle toilet papers.
And it's not just "developing" countries that have poor plumbing systems. I've been to places in Spain and Greece (principally the islands though), and the odd place here and there elsewhere on the continent where you shouldn't flush it either.
#12
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,785
Like most host cities, the Russian have blown it, billions spent and this is what they present to the world. Having lived in a host city the Olympics are really BS anymore - it is not about the athletics - half of venues are not even sports. It is all about being in the club.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,785
One sensed a certain despair on the part of the proprietors. Every stall had multiple signs - over the toilet, over the toilet paper roll, over the sanitary bin, on the front of the bin, on the inside of the stall door - with emphatic underlines and red print and exclamation marks - each in English, Chinese, Korean and (maybe one more) begging them to flush the paper and NOT put it in the sanitary bin.
There was no regular rubbish bin as they had electric hand dryers. I shudder to think what the mens room - with no sanitary bins - looked like.
Just the one place, in just that one town - no where else.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: LHR
Programs: DL DM 2MM, BA Bronze, Various Hotels
Posts: 10,187
Next time we check into a hotel room, we should consider ourselves fortunate not to have some of the issues mentioned in the article.
Wealth of Issues Face 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Athletes, Fans and Journalists
Wealth of Issues Face 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Athletes, Fans and Journalists
Existing thread from yesterday:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/russi...periences.html